@plan6 said:
But I’m getting the impressions that the entire industry of video games coverage might be.....bad to new comers. Or bad to labor in general. And maybe, like we are finding out about a lot of video game developers, the video games media industry needs a kick in the pants. And giant bomb, as owned by CBS interactive, has not been immune to that. It is something that I keep in the back of my head when people talk about the pitfalls of covering games.
ha- it's almost as if there's a systemic concentration of wealth, power, and equity in the ownership class, across ALL industries- and that indulgence of fan passion for a product is being used as smokescreen for further concentration.
but i digress.
speaking generally: i think it's important to remember 2 things with abby and giant bomb- first, GB was fundamentally founded as a startup- so they're not immune to the pitfalls of that culture and/or structure. we know GB to be largely self-aware and agree their hearts are in the right place- but like most startups, those in ownership or 'in at the ground floor' have a completely different experience, perception, and relationship with the employer than the most recent junior hires. a red venture or cbs hire for GB likely lives on another planet entirely than a founder or pre-acquisition senior employee.
the second thing is- abby readily admits she didn't have a relationship with GB, gamespot, or the games press prior to hire. her stake was employment- not dream fulfillment from years of fandom. and perhaps unintuitively- to me that means she was an incredibly valuable addition to the crew, and proof-positive that her hire was done so from the correct perspective. a creative venture NEEDS outside perspective to grow, improve, and become a more inclusive space. hiring a fan more likely gives you more of the same rather than new opportunity. abby's voice and perspective was new- and GB will be lesser and more homogenous without it. i love em, but it's a blow.
i don't think her departure necessitates a exhaustive referendum on abby, the state of GB, or the state of the industry. everyone has their reasons. a bit of self reflection on all parties would probably be in order- that's natural, and should happen anytime a young employee departs (you have to ask the question- why are they leaving, and how can we improve).
and from a fan's perspective- the next time someone with outside experience shows up, we need to do our part to ensure we're always giving them the benefit of the doubt, and dropping any semblance of toxic 'prove it' attitude that's accrued over the years.
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